System of electric gas-lighting



(No Model.)

w. H. DOERING. SYSTEM 0F ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTING.

Patented Dec. g'Z, 1887.

uwlmw u M@ @l I M MMM? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. noname, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA..

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC GAS-LIGHTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,414. dated December27,l 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be i't known that WILLIAM H. DOERING, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of ElectricGas-Lighting,` of which the following is a specification. The object ofmy invention is to produce an apparatus Afor controlling the ow of andigniting the gas employed for illuminating and other purposes byelectricity'. In accomplishing this objectI construct the devicesattached to or surrounding an ordinary gasburne-r and the key by whichthe electric current employed is controlledin such a manner as to causethe gas-cock to be opened and closed with the expenditure of a minimumcurrent; and I produce a series of sparks across the path of theescaping gas and continuethe production ot said sparks at will until thegas has been actually ignited. The reduction of the batterypowerrequired for vopening and closing the gas-cock I achieve by a peculiarconstruction of the'magneticsystem employed'for this purpose. Thearrangement is such that the maximum powerof a magnet vupon a polarizedarmature is utilized bythe action of each pole of the magnet upon adistinctive -and opposite pole of the armature, both for open-ing'andclosing the cock. A current-reversing' key or push-button beingnecessaryfor the operation of a gas-lighter of this description, myinvention embraces such pushbutton as specially ladapted to the ignitenThe continued production of sparks across the escaping gas I have alsoimproved by removing from the circuit the obnoxious resistance of theelectromagnet which actuates the cock, thus obtaining the benefit of thewhole current-for producing sparks.

4The invention will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription, with refercnceto the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my improved gaslighter;Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of the same slightly modified. Fig.

3 shows a sectional elevation of a modied from of my gas-lighter withthe pushbutton,

5,0 battery, and spark-coil. Fig. 4 is a similar view of another speciesof my improvement with its appurtenances, and Figs. 5 and 6 are SerialNo. 232,405. (No model.)

sectional views of the push-buttons adapted for the operation of mysystem.

into a square box\2,"and it terminates in a short tube, 3, at its lowerend. -This tube is screw-threaded internally to be screwed upon a gassupply pipe, as usual. Surrounding the burner'and concentric therewithlis a tubular vpermanent magnet, 4, split longitudinally, as shown, andmagnetized to have one of its poles at one of its longitudinal edges, 5,and the other pole at the other edge, 6. Both the burner and the mag-netare supported by a base-plate, 7, from which a binding-post, 8,insulated therefrom, projects.

An electro-magnet, 9, provided with square pole-pieces 10, is -placed infront of box 2 and within the slit in the permanent magnet, and a strip,11, of any desired material-#as brass or copper-extendsparallel with theelectro-magnet and behind the same, and is secured to the pole-pieces,as shown. The strip 11 thus becomes part ofthe electro-magnet. Its onlypurpose is to serve as a means electro-magnet toY be actuated by thesame. Said cock is attached to and projects from the rear side of strip1l, asindicated at dotted lines at12. It enters the box 2, and is ofordinary construction. The electro-magnet is thus pivoted at its middle,and when moved to the right or'left it will turn the cock to shut oropen the passage for the gas to the tip of the burner.

In the position of the electromagnct shown in Fig. 1 the gaspassage isclosed and is held closed by the attraction of the permanent magnet uponthe pole-pieces of the electro-magnet, one of these polepieces beingattracted by one pole, 5, of the permanent magnet, and the otherpole-piece by the other pole, 6, of the permanent magnet. If, now, theelectromagnet be energized by the passage ot' a current through itscoils to produce at the upper and lower pole'pieces, respectively, polesof the same names as the poles 5 and 6 of the permanent magnet, theupper end of the electromagnet will be repelled by 5, While the lowerend willgbe repelled by 6 and attracted by 5. The electro-magnet willtherefore swing about upper pole-piece comes in contact with 6 and InFig. 1 the burner 1 is shown to expandk for attaching the cock of theburner to the IOC its pivot-the cock of the burner--until its turn thecock to close the gas-passage it is only is held open by the continuedattraction of thel permanent magnet upon the pole-pieces of theeleetromagnet,even if the latter be discharged by the interruption ofthe current. To again necessary to reverse the current in the coils ofthe electro-magnet, as will readily be understood by those skilled inthe art. It will also be understood that the arrangement of magnets maybe reversed without in the least modifying the operation-that is to say,the split tubular -magnet may be the electro-magnet and the magnetconnected with the cock may, bc the permanent magnet.

In the circuit of the electro-magnet or in a circuit acted uponinductively by the circuit which includes the electro-magnet is anelastically-inounted and insulated standard, 15, which in Fig. 1 isshown bent twice at right angles, and which is in the path of theelectro-magnet when the same swings into position to open thegas-passage'. From the upper end of the standard 15 extends a platinumcontact, 16, which, when the -magnet is iu the position shown in Fig. 1,makes contact with a platinum contact,'14, extending from a shortstandard, 13, xed to the burner.

IVhen the electro-.magnet swings into position to open the gas-passage,the upper polepiece, 10, shortly before it comes in contact with edge 6of the permanent magnet, encounters the elastically-mounted or elasticstandard 15, and forces the same over behind the edge 6, and therebycarries platinum 16 ont of coutact with platinum 14. As will bepresently shown, the standards 13 and V14 are in an electric circuit,which, when broken at 14 16, produces a spark at this point and ignitesthe escaping gas. The arrangement may be changed so that the standard415 is always ont of reach of the swinging magnet and that the platinums14 and 16 are always out of contact, thespark being in that caseproduced by an inductorium, as will be explained with reference to Figs.4 and 6.

Fig. 2 shows the interior and circuit connections of a constructionsubstantially like that shown in 'Fig'. 1. The standard 15 is thereshown as an insulated rod ,pivoted at its lower'lend and pressed forwardby a spring, 17, toestablish contact at 14 16. The spring is showncarried by a' pin projecting from a rod parallel with standard 15; butthisis of no importance, for the spring may be mountedin any suitablemanner. The currententers at the bindingpost S, which is insulated fromthe other pole of which is grounded. The pushbutton is constructed tooperateasa combined circuit maker and current reverser, and aspark-coil`is included in the circuit, all of ,which will be clearlyexplained further on.

The operation of this device will now be easily understood. Supposingthe electromagnet to be in the position shown in Fig. 1,thegas-passageclosed, and the circuit open at the distant push-button.If, now, the'circuit is closed at the distant push-button to send acurrent-through the magnet that will polarize the same, so as to causeit to swing about its pivot to the position shown in Fig. 2, said magnetbefore it reaches the end of its stroke will impinge upon standard 15and break the circuit at 14 16, producing a spark at this point, whichmay or may not ignite the gas now escaping at the tip of the burner. Thecircuit being thus interrnpted,the electro-magnet becomesinert, andspring'17,reacting upon standard 15, forces the same back to reestabthecircuit at 14 16, whereby another spark is produced. It will thus beseen that the electro-magnet, in conjunction with standard 15 andplatinum contacts 14 16, operates as a rheotome, and that it willcontinue to operate as such as long as the circuit is closed at thepush-button, producing a number of 'sparks in rapid succession,whichoperation should be continued until the gas shall have been ignited.

In Fig. 3 the structural element 15 is a standard movable vertically inguides provided in au insulated metal frame, 2l. The standard itself isin this case not insulated, but moves in electrical contact with frame21. The lower part of the standard is screw-threaded, as shown, and aninsulating-washer, 23, upon this portion of the standard is engaged by,an arm, 24, projecting from the magnet 9 orfrom the gas-cock. XVhen themagnet is thrown over tothe position shown in Fig. 3, arm 24- lifts thestandard against the action of spring 17,whercby contact at 14 16 isbroken, aspark produced, and the production ot' sparks con# tinued bythe rheotomic action, which now ensues, as has been explained withreference to Fig. 2. A current-reverser of any suitableconstruction-such as a puslnbutton, 25-a spark-coil, 28, and a battery,29, are properly connected in the circuit. The push-button hereindescribed is peculiarly construct-ed with a View to the requirements ofmy method of actuating the devices so l'ar described,` and I prefer touse the same with my igniter, though of course any other suitablecircuit controller may be used.

Fig. 5 shows such push-button in seetimml elevation. Inthe body S2 ot'the device, which is o1 wood, hard rubber, or othcr insulating material,are two recesses, 2!) 25), for the reccp tion of plungers 26 27, also ofinsulating nmtcrial. The faces ol' the proicrting thumb `\vith differentcolors-say white and black, re-

suitable distance from the same.

spectivel-y. y, In the drawings .the thumb-piece of 26 ,is` shown whiteand that of 27 black. These plungers are held in an elevated position bysprings 30 30, asV usual. Between the two-recesses thereis. a web orpartition, 31 vand metal pieces 32 33 are .inserted in said partitionparallel to each other and tlu'sh with 'the faces ofthe partition onboth sides. In

alignment with these metal pieces are metal pieces 34 35 36 37, insertedin the body of the device, 34 and 35l being Hush with the wall of onechamber 29, and 36 and'37 flush with the wall ofthe other chamber 29.The whole arrangement is such that metal pieces 34, 32, and 36 are inone line, and metal pieces 35, 33, and 37 in anotherline parallel to thefirst and at a Parallel to these lines the two plungers are perforated,therebeingA two perforations in each plunger at distances from eachother equalto the distances of the lines of the parallel metal piece inthe body 82 andin the partition 31. In each of these perforations thereisa metallic ,Y pin, 38, surrounded by helical spring 40, and

a metal cap is placed upon the head of each pin, so as to be capable ofsliding with little friction upon the sanne.l These caps are marked inthe drawings with the numerals 41,-' 42, 43, 44', 45, 46, 47, 48, andeach pair of caps is pressed outwardly against thewalls ot' the chamberin which the respective plunger is placed. When a plunger is in itselevated position,the outer faces of the caps are in contact with theinsulating substance of the body and partition o f the device; but whena plunger is depressed by its thumb-piece olie cap of each pair comes incontact with a metal piece in the body and the other cap with a metal inthe partition. f

The electrical connections are as follows; A wire, ,49, from thepositive pole'of the battery is connectedwith the metal pieces 34 and37, andfrom the negativepole of the battery a wire,50, is connected withmetal pieces 35 and 36. Metal piece 33 inthepartition 'is connected withthe ground' by a wire, 5l, and

4 metalfpiece 32 is connected by a wire,52, with wire 20, which leads tothe bindingpost 8 onthe gas-lighter proper, as shown in Figs. 2 'and 3..Asindicated in Fig., 3, there is a sparkcoil, 28, inserted lin one ofthewire's, 49, coming from the battery.' I Y The whole .operation willnow be easily understood.. l

Assuming the gas cock. to be closed, and consequently the electro-magnetin the'positiony shown in Fig. 1 and the circuit closed at 14'16, ifA itis now desired yto turn, on and lightl the gas, the White thumb-piece ofplunger. 26 is depressed. This brings caps 41 and 42 in'` contact wit-hmetal pieces 34 and 32, respec tively and caps 45. yand 46 with metalypieces `35l and 33, and the circuit of the gas.l

lighter is .thereby completed-as follows: from the positive pole of thebattery through sparkvis connected with standard'l.

eoil28,by wire 49, to metal piece 34, then through caps 41 and v42(connected by pin 38 and spring 40) lto metal piece 32 and wire 52 towire 20 (seeFigs. 2 and3) and binding-post 8, where it enters thegas-lighter proper. The course of the circuit through the gas-lighterhas been described above, and it is here only necessary to remember thatit passes to ground by the pipes of the distributing system. rlhecurrent therefore returns to the push-button by ground-wire 51 andcontinues to metal piece 33, caps 46 and 45 to metal piece 35, and bywire back to the negative pole of the battery. The current which, isthus sent through the electro-magnet has such direction in the coils ofthe saine as to cause it to swing over into the position shown in Figs.2 and- 3.

`The rheotomic action and production of sparks ensues and continues sollongas the white thumb-piece remains depressed, and the operator willhold it depressed until the gas shall have been ignited by one of thenumerous sparks produced. Vhen the thumb-piece is released, the sparkscease, but the electro.- magnet remains in the same position assumed inthe preceding action.

If it is desired to turn the gas oil", the-black ,thumb-piece 27 isdepressed, wherebya current in a reversed direction is sent through thecoils of the electro-magnet, as follows:

from the positive .pole of the battery through the sparkcoil,.by wire`49to metal piece 37,

caps 48 and 47, to metal piece 33, and by wire' 51 to ground. Thecurrent now returns through the ground to the distributing system andenters the gaslighter by the burner, from -which it passes, by astandard, 13, platinum contact 14 and 16, to standard 15, and thencontinues by wire 19 to and through magnet l9, wire 18, and binding-post8.` Freni this binding-post 8 the current proceeds by wires 20.52 backto the push-button, to metal piece 32, and then by caps 43 44 'to metalpiece 36, and by wire 50 to the ngative pole of the battery. Thecurrentbeing thus reversed, the

electro-magnet will again return to the position shown in Fig. 1,whereby the gasis turned oli'.

In the forni of apparatus illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6 an inductorium,28', is substituted for IOO the spark-coil, and the rheotome istransferred f from the burner to said inductorium. Standard 15 is inthis case fixed, and platinum wires 14 and 16 are out of contact, butwithin comfoi-table striking distance. of the secondary of theinduetori'uln. Binding-post 8 is again connected with theelectro-magnetby wire 18, but wire y19, coming from the magnet, is in this instancedirectly connected wit-h the body of the burner, and, consequently,through the distributng'system with the ground.` Asecond l' insulatedbinding-post, 8', is provided, which ln the wire 49, coming from thepositive pole ofthe battery, are included the primarylof theinductoriumandthe rheotome 53and oneterminal,

54, of the secondary is connected with the wire tion of the system thatinvolves the use of an inductorium. The two plungers are fitted to movein recesses of greater depth, so that on depressing them the electricalconnections described with reference to Fig. 5 will be firstestablished, and then upon continued depression these connections willbe again interrupted. This extended stroke is necessary only for thewhite plunger 26, but may also be given to the black plunger 27 for thesake of uniformity of construction. The recess in which plunger 26 movesis extended at its bottom both axially and laterally, and spring 30,which has thefunetion of returning the plunger to its elevated position,rests'with one end upon a leaf-spring, 57, iixed at one end in thelateral extension of the recess. Under the free end of 57, but not incontact with the same; extends the free end of another spring, 58, and athird spring, 59, is placed with its free end under that of spring 58.In consequence of this construction it will be seen that if plunger 26is depressed to iirst make 32 33 34 35 and the metalcapsthe helicalsprin'g 30 will thereby be compressed to such a n degree that spring 57will yield and make contact with spring 58, which latter spring willyield in its turn and make contact with spring 59. The electrical`connections to tdi@ metal pieces and caps are identical with those ofpush-button shown in Fig. 5; bu't, in addition thereto, spring 57 isconnectedto wire 50 by a wire, 61, spring 58` to wire 49 by a conductor,60, and spring 59 to binding post 8 by a conductor, 56.

lThe operation of a' system employing the inductorium will now be easilyunderstood.

0n depressing plunger 26 the contacts 32 33 34 35, with the capsactuated by springs 40 in the plunger, are first established, and thecurrent from the battery reaches the pushbutton by wire 49 after havingpassed through the rheotome 53 and primary of the inductorium. Thiscurrent takes its course through the push-button and gas-lighter, asfollows: by wire 49 to metal piece 34, caps 41 and 42 to metal piece 32,and by wires 52 and 20 to the binding-post 8 on the gas-lighter. Fromthis binding-post the current proceedsby wire 18 to and through magnet 9and by wire19 to the distributing system and ground. Returning byground, the current again enters the push-button by wire 51 andcontinues by metal piece 33, caps 46 and 45, metal piece 35, and wireback to the battery. The effect of this current, which has the requireddirection through the coils of the electro-magnet, is understood. Thegas will be'turned on. As the plunger continues to descend the circuitjust described is again interrupted and new circuitconnectionsestablished by contact of springs 57, 58, and 59. The battery-current,after having passed through the rheotome and primary of inductorium,again enters the pushbutton by wire 49, but now proceeds bywire tospring 58, spring 57, connection 61, and wire 50 back to the battery.The electro-mag- `.net being now eut out of the circuit, the eurrent isstrong enough to operate the rheotome,

\ and the high-tension currents generated inthe secondary coil aredischarged, as follows: from terminal 54 of the secondary coil by wire49 to the push-button, then by connection 60 to springs 58 and 59, andfrom the latter by wire 56 to binding-post 8 of the gas-lighter. Frombinding-post S the current continues over standards l5 and 13, crossingthe space at 16 and 14 in the form of a spark, and then by the burner tothe distributing system and ground, returning by the ground to the otherterminal, 55, of the secondary coil.

So long as the push-button is held depressed the production of sparks at14 16 will continue, and the operator will not release the thumb-'pieceuntil the gas shall have been ignited. By depressing plunger 27 acurrent of reversed direction is Sent through the coils of the magnetand the gas is turned oli', as has been explained with reference to theother tigures of t-he drawings.

From the above it will be seen that my invention is not limited to theprecise construction and arrangement of the devices set forth, but thatmany modifications maybe madetherein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention,and which need not bespecifically set forth.

I claim as my inventionv 1. In a gas-lighter, the combination of aslitted tubular magnet surrou nding the burner and an actuating-magnetconnected to the gascock, one of the magnets being an electromaguet,substantially as described.

2. In a gaslighter, the combination, with a IIO slitted tubu-lar magnetsurrounding the burner,

magnets, whereby the gas-cock is operated to 4 turn the gas on or o bythe direct force of all the magnetic poles, substantially as described.

4; In a-gas-lighting apparatus, the combination of a tubular permanentmagnet having a longitudinal slit and its poles along the edges of theslit, with a bar electro-magnet connected with the gas-cock and havingits poles extending within the slit, and aeircuit closing 'and reversingpush-button controlling the action of the electro-magnet to open andclose the gas-cock, substantially as described.

5.' In :ligas-lighting apparatus operating by reversed currents to turnthe gas on and off, a

push-button composed of two independent plungers actuated by. suitablethumb-pieces, two pairs*of-spring-actuated contact pieces or caps, andone pair of xed. contact-pieces for cach plunger, a pair of xedcontact-pieces in operative relation to both plungers, andcircuit-connections, substantially as described.

6. In a gas-lighting apparatus operating by reversals of current to turnthe gas on and off and to light the gas by the inductive action ofintermittent currents, 'apush-button for directing the current to turnthe gas on, and springcontacts for completing the currents for theintermittent and induced currents located near the end of the stroke ofthe plunger and actuated by the same, substantially as described.

7. In agas-lighting apparatus, the combination of an electro-magnet forturning the gas on and off and an inductorium for igniting to thisspecification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. DOERING.

Witnesses:

GEORGE F. EISENHARDT, HERMAN DIENELT.

